Tender twisted threads,
plied of flax and silk,
Stitch hearts that never grieve--
Blooms that never wilt.

Saturday, October 13, 2012

October 2012

Indian Summer Blooms

Mid-October, 2012

Dear Friends,

Here in Utah, we have been blessed with a perfectly glorious Autumn. After an eternally long, hot summer with no rain for months, everyone said that this would be the fall with no color. However, I think the mountains have been the most splendidly beautiful and the leaves have lasted for weeks and weeks. Even the late summer flowers have had this beautiful re-birth and given us that final little gift from heaven. But tonight it is raining and Bob says that tomorrow he is whacking out my cosmos. Ohhh......not ready for the change--never ready for the change.

After the Retreat, I promised that we would show you some of the wonderful new things that we have had going on in the shop. As you can see, we have a lot to look at so put you feet up and get ready for a fun adventure. There is just nothing like a great Halloween project.

Slurp, Cackle, Lurch--Kit $14.00

by Shepherd's Bush

This new 10 count kit will make you smile. Stitched on a dusty purple hand dyed tula, the Halloween trio will be fun to stitch. It is stitched with overdyed floss and a crazy orange thread for the witch's hair.

Scary Night Kit--$20.00

by Shepherd's Bush (exclusive)

A new exclusive kit is the perfect Halloween stitching project. Not too big, it comes complete with hand-dyed 32 count linen, cotton floss, a button, and the mat is of course hand painted by our friend Jill. Sometimes we even have the darling frame. Well, at least when Jill isn't overloaded.

2012 Ornament kit--$15.00

Ornament Magazine $9.99

by Shepherd's Bush

We were on the ball this year and made kits for our ornament in the magazine. Kits come with the fabric, threads, holly button, ribbon, beads and I think wool backing- I can not remember, since it is late and I made them a while ago. Note: you will need a copy of the Ornament Magazine, as the pattern is not in the kit.

Home for the Holidays--leaflet $6.00

by Shepherd's Bush

This sweet pillow is stitched on 20 count putty linen, with a variety of overdyed threads, including a great sheep's silk from the Threadgatherer- Dickens Christmas. There is a fun set of buttons by JABCO. We even have the fabulous holly and polka dots backing fabrics so your pillow will look just like ours.

A Large Table filled with Halloween Surprises

The Halloween displays are brimming with fabulous projects. We have so many Halloween projects, that we may have to add on a room. Here are a few of the new ones for this year. (I tried to load this picture in a larger size, but it crashed the blog program---ugh! So see if you can just upsize it on your computer.)

Garden of Erie--leaflet $12.00

by Plumstreet Samplers

This is a fun take on Adam and Eve. Teri says she relates to her hair. This one just makes me laugh-- even the snake is a bit spooky. Worked on great, crazy fabric in wonderful colors.

Buttons Black leaflet--$9.00

by Plumstreet Samplers

Here is another great piece by Paulette Stewart. It was so fun to get to know her at the retreat.

We stitched Buttons Black on a special overdyed linen by Lakeside linens and added buttons.

Enchanted Crow--leaflet $9.00

by Threadwork Primitives

Here is an easy but neat Halloween project by a fairly new company. I especially love the large label on this piece. Did Teri not notice when she was photographing. Oh well, it is probably for me, as I never know what anything is. (Large label is complimentary with any order.)

A Very Black Cabinet filled with Silly Pin Cushions

Teri had a great time this summer making all the wool pincushions. They are kits from our friends at the button company. How do you choose which is your favorite... Baskin Kitty, Pumpkin, Barney Bat, Gus Ghost, Mumford Mummy, and Wanda Witch. The stitched pincushions are by Homespun Elegance, EEK, and Owl's Night Out. We have small pieces of fabric ready to stitch them on.

The Center for Other Halloween Sundries

See what I mean, we really are bursting with wonderful Halloween pieces.

Who's There--card $4.00

by The Prairie Schooler

This is kind of a companion to Knock Knock ( shown in an earlier post) but we have worked it on 7 count hand-dyed Klostern and have stitched it with overdyed #3 perl cotton. We added buttons and the finishing fabric is just perfect. Isn't it so great!

Head's Up--leaflet $10.00

by Prairie Schooler

These are a spooky set of three Halloween faces. Stitched on 10 count tula, and finished into darling pillows, they will work up quickly and be great on a hall bench to welcome trick or treaters. I think these might be my favorites for this year. I stop and look at them every time I walk past. I totally love the changes Teri made in the colors and I think there is a button on each one.

All Hallow's Eve--Leaflet $10.00

By Prairie Schooler

Here is another fabulous Halloween chart from Prairie Schooler--my favorite for this year. We stitched it on a purple 30 count and tweeked the colors just a bit and we think it is pretty stellar. It is actually more faded and weathered than in this rather vibrant photo, but Teri can't stand to send it off to Jill for framing--maybe after Halloween. Just think what she will do with the framing... as a side note, check out the Puffin Witch's hat needle nanny and scissor pal.

My Pretties leaflet $ 9.00

by Plumstreet Samplers

Can you tell we just love Paulette's designs?? Here is one more very fun fall piece.

Another Halloween Display under the Spooky Tree

Look at the bottom right corner, this is another favorite new Halloween piece-- Who's There, but Cricket's Once upon a Midnight Dreary, is pretty amazing too.

Halloween Quaker Pincushions--leaflet $14.00

by Jeannette Douglas

Christmas Quaker Pincushions--leaflet $14.00

by Jeannette Douglas

We have had so much fun with Jeannette's pincushions, we were delighted to see she has done holiday ones. It is genius the way she finishes them--so easy. Teri and Lynnette have been busy assembling small kits for each color, so you can just sit down and stitch. The kits come with everything except the stuffing. OK, just name your color.

2012 Santa--card $4.00

by The Prairie Schooler

Everyone waits for the new santa to arrive. Teri then picks the threads and the buttons and sends it out to be stitched. Our neice, Erin, stitched this one for us. Thanks, Erin. The backing fabric is so cheery. If you have not tried one of the PS Santas on the 7 count fabric, this is the year to give it a try.

Merry Christmas--leaflet $9.00--kit $39.00

by Blackbird Designs

We were so excited when Barb and Alma sent us their beautiful sampler to show at the Retreat. Everyone loved it. The colours are sweet, and like Barb says in the leaflet, you could leave it up all year. We have kitted it with the exact fabric and threads called for in the leaflet. It is tied up with a Christmas paper blackbird. So cute!

The Great Green Wall of Autumn Samplers

Try to make this picture bigger and just enjoy the darling pictures perfect for Fall and Thanksgiving.

Give Thanks--leaflet $8.00

By Blackbird Designs

Teri has always loved this piece so this year she had it stitched. It is very fallish and fun.

Thankful Quaker leaflet $11.00

by Bent Creek

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, and I love this gentle piece.

Well it is very, very late and the only thing that has kept me going was the assortment of Dove chocolates that Mindi gave me at the retreat. And Teri has already misplaced this blog once tonight, so we had so start all over. Oh, yay! I am not sure where it went, somewhere on her computer..... a wrong key stroke and away it went. We are weeping!!!

If you would like to order any of the supplies for these or any of our pieces, do not hesitate to give us a call. We would love to send them to you. Be safe and stitchy. Until next week, fondly Tina

About Us

Shepherd's Bush is a needlework haven located in Ogden, Utah, nestled between the shores of the Great Salt Lake and the beautiful snow-capped Wasatch range of the Rocky Mountains. Tina Richards Herman and her sister, Teri Richards, opened their unique retail shop in 1984. This establishment--a needle and folk art store--was named for a district in London and is housed in a renovated 19th century blacksmith and carriage shop in the heart of Ogden's historic district. From the wildflowers and cranberries hanging from the heavy timber ceiling rafters, to the samplers and quilts adorning the worn brick walls--from shelves stacked with fine linens and homespun cottons, to the antique hutches brimming with hand-woven and dyed splint baskets, this store evokes a memory and nostalgia of a gentle life long past.